Judgment

N.P. SINGH, J.- Leave granted.

2. This appeal has been filed on behalf of the State of West Bengal, against an order passed by the High Court, directing the State Government, to give the same pay scale and other benefits, which are payable to the Constables of the West Bengal Police Force, to the writ petitioner-respondents (hereinafter referred to as the respondents), who are the members of the West Bengal National Volunteer Force.

3. The respondents were employed as Agragamies otherwise called Volunteers attached to Biswakarama Battalion. According to respondents, as they have been appointed in accordance with the provisions of the West Bengal National Volunteer Force Act, 1949 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) and as they have been performing the duties of Constables while maintaining law and order, they should be treated on a par with the police Constables of West Bengal; they are entitled to the same scale of pay and other benefits which are payable to such Constables. It was pointed out on their behalf, that the revised scale of pay introduced by the Government, for the National Volunteers, was highly discriminatory in nature and different from the members of the We